Advocate of Fire
by SamanthaLienne
Summary: Echizen Ryoma the transfer student from America sets the school in a big uproar. . . . . . with brewing relationships, revenge and a whole lot more . . . CHAPTER 1 revised Thrill Pair/Pillar Pair/Royal Pair


**Advocate of Fire**

By: SamLien

2008.05.24

**Major Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Ohjisama or any of its characters. I only take sole ownership to the plot and OC's that would be making their appearances in the later chapters. **

**Summary: **Echizen Ryoma the transfer student from America sets the school in a big uproar. . . . . . with brewing relationships, revenge and a whole lot more . . .

**Pairing: **Possible (Thrill Pair/Pillar Pair/Royal Pair)

**A/N **Pardon the grammatical errors and the incorrect spellings. Flashbacks and Dream sequence are in Italics while English words would be typed in bold. Thoughts are italicized and has single quotation marks enclosing it. Emphasized words between dialogues and paragraphs are italicized.

* * *

**O1 p r e l u d e **

* * *

"Okay. . . .yes mom I understand." A nod. "Yeah mom, I'll be home tonight. Don't worry, I'll be fine. . . .. . alright. . .Bye."

Sighing, he flipped the phone close and slid it back at the pocket of his jeans.

It was half an hour after six already. You could see the sun already up and about, spilling its warm rays of light across the vast horizon. People were bustling here and there, doing their usual morning routines, preparing for the long day that was ahead of them.

Boredom was slowly eating him up as he stood by the balcony of the luxurious condominium unit. It was a 30 story high building standing at the very heart of the city. Surrounded by several other towering buildings here and there, noise of varying volumes were ringing through the whole day, but it wasn't much compared to the exquisite view it provides during the night.

The wind that was occasionally blowing, was unusually chilly compared to the previous days were it was sweltering hot and too humid for his own liking. The chill seeped inside his coat and he shivered involuntarily.

He idly braised his arms against the narrow surface of the metal railing bordering the balcony. With a dull grace in his eyes, he noted how those people walking down the streets seemed to look like ants racing down to their ant hill. They'd be easily crushed in just a snap of a finger, that was something he was so sure of. Sometimes people tend to be a little too gullible for their own good. His lips tightened grimly.

As another gust of wind blew he let his gaze drop, sidestepping back inside the room. He slid and locked the door closed, cutting off the cold air from further circulating inside the room. He shrugged off his jacket, draped it over the back of the couch and proceeded towards the kitchen where he had left the Coffee brewing.

There was still an hour and a half for him to spare so he decided to prepare some quick breakfast. It would be a hassle if he would still do some unnecessary stop over's later on his trip.

Gathering the loose strands of hair falling down his face, he tied it with a random rubber band he saw lying around the kitchen counter before proceeding to the pantry. For a place with only one inhabitant, the larder is stacked with tons of food.

He smirked at that. Due to his occasional surprise visits, his best friend opted to make the kitchen storage always full of food so he wouldn't have the chance to nag the poor boy when he find the cupboards empty. He may have gotten traumatized when he got an earful about how much of a slob he is.

Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder how on earth his best friend was able to live such a life. And more so, how those girls he dated were able to tolerate his boorish nature.

The sound of water running generously down the shower was echoing down the hallway which was interconnecting the bathroom with the main area, consisting of the dining room, kitchen and the living room with only a bamboo folding divider acting as a partition. Halfway done in plating the food, the noise from the shower was reduced to nothing but a silent tapping sound of water hitting the tiled floors. There was the distinct sound of the bathroom door creaking open as he strode over the medium sized dining table and laid over the plates on the neatly arranged mats.

There were sounds of footsteps and from the corner his eye, he caught sight of messy blonde locks sticking out in every direction. "Oh, breakfast!! How surprising, I never knew you cared so much," came the cheerful voice of a certain blonde haired boy, who had just entered the room with a towel hanging snuggly and dangerously low against his hips. His hair was still dripping wet as he vigorously tried towel drying it making it more disheveled than it already was. "Ohayou Ryoma chan."

Without even looking up, Ryoma apparently knew that the guy already has that infuriating smile of his judging from the chirpy tone in his voice.

Grumbling, Ryoma poured some coffee onto the mugs, sat on his chair and started to eat his breakfast wordlessly.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he teased while occupying the seat across the anti social boy.

Kevin Smith. The only son of Thomas Smith, a well known business mogul, CEO and President of several shipping lines, hotel chains and former professional tennis player, who retired months after his third US Open participation when Ryoma's dad defeated him to a bloody pulp.

Though the former held in some grudge and ill will against Nanjiroh, the two eventually overcame their differences and later on became the best buddies. Their tight knit friendship was somehow passed on to their off springs, Kevin and Ryoma, who had been inseparable since birth.

Kevin was very mischievous as a kid and a total playboy, heartbreaker by the time he started to be on the dating scene.

A golden haired Adonis blessed with a pair of teasing and seductive blue eyes that promises passion and sin. A megawatt smile that could melt swooning fan girls into a helpless puddle of goo. He wasn't the type who had a towering height nor a body bulging with muscles.

He juggled over relationships one after the other. In short he's not the type who wants to compromise his freedom by dating long term. Once news of him breaking up with his current conquest starts to spread, girls would start throwing themselves at his feet in an instant. Some were even vulgar enough to seduce him even though he's currently committed. Lifestyle wise, Kevin lived a pretty laid back life.

He was after all New York's Famous Casanova.

The silence was stiff. Seeing that his companion wasn't adept in starting a conversation anytime soon Kevin took that as a go for him to do so. "So, what are you going to do later? Schools out for another month." He asked off handedly while wolfing down the food on his plate. He briefly glanced at his friend while he rammed the food down in his mouth.

Contrary to Kevin's playful nature, Ryoma is entirely his opposite.

The boy rarely smiles and barely talks. Most of the time he just grunts and smirks in response. And when he talks, it was often just because he'd make some snarky comments. The boy really has a sharp tongue and is completely tactless the moment he speaks.

Ryoma was known throughout their college not only because of his god like looks which made almost the entire student body, since even boys were managed to be drawn by his charisma, lust after his attention and presence. He didn't seem to mind the attention, though most of the time, he just chose to ignore it.

His golden eyes that seemed to burn and grow ablaze at the slightest hint of anger and provocation. Three earrings were pierced on his left ear. His effeminate features, from the small, cherry red lips, the tiny nose, rosy cheeks, lean body and porcelain, pristine white skin made people drool. He was, frankly, like a doll. His no nonsense and bad boy attitude added up to his charisma.

But those weren't the only things that earned him the reputation of the campus hottie number one, breaking men and women's hearts left and right.

Echizen Ryoma didn't earn the trophy without backing it up with some knowledge and skills. After all, aside from being the walking god of their school he was also known for being a prodigy. He was obviously just breezing his way through all his subjects that some where left wondering if someone like him is actually real. He's not someone you can actually call 'studious' for the lack of a better term that is. In fact, in class, it's either he comes in late, skips or dozes off. But he always gets off the hook.

Aside from having a high profiled life at school, he was also well known in the upper circle of society. He makes tracks grow ablaze whenever he's behind the wheels of his sports car or riding behind his motorcycle, sashaying down the catwalk or just by simply gracing the covers of high end magazines. He had his fair share of controversy, most of them from scandalous affairs with various women and even men, but he simply shrugged them off.

Kevin uneasily poked his breakfast before resigning into a long deep sigh. He drummed his fingers on top of the dining table while inching further and further on his seat.

After the long pause, Ryoma finally spoke up in a surprisingly subtle tone. "I'll be gone for the whole day. I need to. . . drop by the principal's office later."

He raised his brows. "Seriously you're being too studious you know," he commented a while later with a slight wave of his hand. The other boys shoulder turned rigid at that. "Wazzup? Don't tell me you're in trouble again?" he immediately asked.

With a slight shake of his head, Ryoma went back into eating his breakfast, or rather jabbing it absentmindedly. The boy looked distracted and being the nosy person that he is, Kevin decided to pry on the matter a little further. He'd surely get him talking even if it's the last thing he would do.

"You know food is made for eating not to be stabbed around to a point beyond recognition you know," he commented off handedly.

Ryoma groaned and settled his fork back on his plate. "I think I just lost my appetite Kev." He grumbled dully.

"Well, didn't seem like it before. What's eating you Ryo? You're unusually. . . uhhhh. . . silent today? Not that you're actually talkative anyways." He laughed.

He exhaled deeply before he looked at him with dull golden eyes. "Listen . . . ummmm. . . Kev. . .I have something to tell you."

A brow was raised urging him to do so.

After a short pause. "Baka Oyaji called me up earlier. Like one in the freakin morning."

"Well that's Uncle Jiroh for you," he sniggered. "So what did he say? Any special shocking news?"

"He asked me to go to Japan. It has something to do about enrolling in a University there or whatever."

It took Kevin at least 10 seconds to fully register the information in his mind. As soon as realization hit him, he almost spit out his coffee. "What--"

The boy shrugged. "He wants me to earn my degree in the same school where he got his," he explained darkly, poking the bread several times. "What a stupid idea. . ."

He was at loss for words. To put it simply, Kevin Smith was aghast. But that didn't last long as he started to go into another barrage of tirades. "Whoa! What the fuck is up with that? I thought that it was final when we took the entrance exam for Harvard." He huffed in feigned annoyance. "I mean. . . Uncle is being totally unreasonable here. He can't just force you to haul your ass to Japan and leave your bright opportunity in Harvard. That's freakin' Harvard were talking about."

"Apparently, my dad thought otherwise. You know my dad. No matter how much you try pounding some sense in him the more he refuses to budge."

Kevin looked grimmer. "Fuck! What the fuck!"

Ryoma grimaced as the blonde shot up from his seat and started pacing back and forth, stringing curses continuously. "Kevin just shut up okay," he winced. He was already having a barely tolerable headache right now. He didn't need something else to add up to his headaches.

"Why the hell are you being so calm about this!," he retorted back in an incredulous tone. "Damn it, how could you! You're supposed to put up a tough fight with Uncle Jiroh Ryoma!"

Exasperated, the boy ran his hands across his emerald tinged dark locks and slumped against his seat. The tiredness he was feeling clearly evident in his face.

_If you only knew Kevin. If you only knew. _He thought sourly.

Oh the price he had to pay for having that perverted weirdo as his father.

He was hell bent to dissuade his fathers' decisions, but, tough luck, the man was obviously as stubborn as a rock himself. Or more appropriately he may have been actually carved right out of a block of stone.

So he wasn't only turning his back on Harvard, he was also leaving behind everything here in New York. He had to admit, he would really miss Kevin despite his whiny bitchy attitude at times, which is showing just right about now. And on top of that he had to deal with his baka oyaji twenty four seven. That means he'd have to actually try to survive living with the pervert under one roof. _Oh Joy!_

"Come on Kev, as much as I hate living with my perverted father in one house, I think it would be a good change if I'd give Japan a try." He laughed sourly. "Besides life here is really starting to bore me out you know."

The blonde twitched at that. "But you do remember, you and Allen have a drift match scheduled by the end of this month. Don't tell me you forgot about it already?"

He shrugged. "Is that all you're worrying about. Jeez Kev that's easy. I guess I'll just drop by to finish that game. You know how much of an ass he can get when he just ends up getting what he wants. I don't want to give the bastard that kind of liberty." He smirked. "Besides there's an important score the two of us have to settle. I'd surely pulverize his ego beyond repair." There was an unholy glint in his eyes that made his best friend shift uncomfortably in his seat.

Knowing Ryoma, the boy can surely hold some grudge against another. Somehow he felt sorry for the guy. But on the one hand he couldn't blame Ryoma as well for being hot on his trails. He, after all, dared to step into the young Echizen's territory when no one was brave enough to dare to cross.

Surely, he was the first one who had the guts to do so. By getting involved with Ryoma's current fling. There may be no emotions involved between the two, but still, he doesn't like it when others recklessly step on him like he was nothing but a mere patch of dirt on the road.

Allen rivaled Ryoma on and off the race track. Though they held an air of competition whenever their paths crossed, they each held respect for the other.

A sigh escaped his lips and his appetite was drained to zero. The food on the table didn't look so appealing to him any longer. "So I guess there's nothing else I can do to change your mind huh?"

"Yeah. So you better be careful with those women you nail Kev. I won't be here to save your sorry ass from those crazy bitches claiming to bear your child. Spare me the headache for once."

"Hmm I should be taking that from mister bad boy slash playboy himself who discards women like dirty clothing. I mean. . . man, you're obviously allergic to the term commitment."

"Well you're far worse when it all ties down to commitment and all those junk Kev. You freak out about it."

He huffed. "Fine, whatever you say. I surrender. I can never win any argument with you," he even raised his hands to show his defeat. "Sometimes I wonder why you get so annoyed with your dad when in fact you're just as perverted as him. The way you handle relationships and all that is."

Ryoma looked grim. "Baka oyaji and I are different. I am not like him who drools over those girls in the glossy pages of a magazine."

Kevin ruffled his emerald tinged raven hair playfully in which he swatted away in return. The blonde just laughed merrily. "Jerk."

"Egomaniac."

They laughed.

He raised his half full coffee mug. "So cheers for your trip."

With a smile, Ryoma raised his mug as well. "May I survive this in one piece and still . . . perfectly sane."

"Amen to that."

* * *

**Herrington University**

It was one of the most prestigious schools in all of America. Not only was it a school of the insanely intelligent, it also contains almost all the well bred and top notch children of the filthy rich. The school was known for its rigorous curriculum, polishing each and everyone of its students to shear perfection.

It stood in a whooping eight hectare lot, with five massive concrete buildings complete with every sporting facility you can ever imagine. The designs were a definite work of art. The massive pillars were a sight to behold upon entry in the main building located at the very heart of the campus. Each infrastructure where interconnected by concrete roofed bridges. And just last year, the plan for the four story annex building had been finalized. And no later than this year, it would soon become a reality. Aside from the stone buildings, the Eden, which is the prided garden of Herrington is famous for its breathtaking magnificence. An oasis in a desert.

Tucking his hand inside his pocket, he made his way across the wide hallway leading towards the principals office. He folded his arms behind his head and whistled as he walked. He could feel eyes of several students training behind his back but he chose to ignore them. He doesn't have any time for idle chit chat.

Despite the fact that schools out, some students, the super studious ones to be exact, still came to do some extra work for the re opening of school days.

He stopped in front of the wooden door where the gold plate bearing the embossed words Principals Office hung. With a sigh, he knocked twice until someone responded with a come in. Coolly, he turned the knob and pushed the door open. Just a few inches away from the door is Mrs. Norton's desk. She is the secretary of the principal himself. As usual, she greeted him with her kind smile and motioned for him to sit down on the couch leaning beside the wall.

"**Good afternoon Ryoma. How are you?" **she asked warmly.

He nodded at her and smiled. **"I'm okay Mrs. Norton."**

"**Your dad called a while ago and he asked me to fix your papers. We just need the Principal to affix his signature on the documents, he'd be here fifteen minutes max."**

"**It's okay. I can wait."**

And just as she said, a little over fifteen minutes and Principal River finally arrived looking so haggard in his rumpled business suit. He removed his coat and hung it loosely in his arm before turning to his secretary who was busy scrutinizing her boss.

"**Sir are you alright? You look. . . bad."**

He massaged his temples and sighed. **"I just ran across a traffic accident, and the roads were jammed. Nothing serious." **He caught sight of Ryoma and he nodded at the boy. **"Follow me to my office." **He hung his coat on the rack, sat on his large swivel chair and motioned for Ryoma to occupy the seat across him. **"It would be a great loss to the school for not having you here any longer." **He started, formally clasping his hands on top of his table.

Ryoma fought the urge to roll his eyes. He was already used to this kind of sweet talk. He knew that despite what he's saying, the old man was celebrating inside. The situation was nothing but a double edged sword. And why not? Herrington just lost one troublesome student and yet they also lost one of the best paying students around. It would surely be a big dent in their source of funds.

Mrs. Norton went in, left a brown envelope on top of the table before excusing herself again. Principal River gave the contents of the document a brief browse before he signed it. After inserting it properly back inside the envelope he handed it over to Ryoma who gladly accepted it.

"**I'll be going now Principal River."**

Both gentlemen stood up and as a sign of respect, shook each others hands. **"I'm sure Seishun University would be happy to have you as their student. Good luck."**

Seishun University is Herrington's sister school located in Japan where, according to his father he would be enrolled at. The old man spoke so highly of it. That school better not bore him or he'll absolutely give him an earful.

* * *

He breezed through the opened gateway of their manor and finally pulled over in front of the marble staircase leading towards the front door of the majestic two story mansion. The walls were painted with a plain beige color. The subtleness of the wall color didn't spare the house from looking too darn flamboyant. It had been splashed all over the pages of several high end magazines and dubbed as one of the most luxurious homes in New York.

It wasn't only the house itself that's breath taking. The massive water fountain by the front yard was jaw dropping as well. Surrounding the house was a sea of endless colors as varieties of trees and flowers were neatly landscaped in the vast garden.

Rinko, Ryoma's mom, always makes sure to give some time to tend to her garden personally despite her tight schedule. She's working as one of the most sought after lawyers under the influential Bolton&Spencer firm.

Turning off the motor, he unbuckled his helmet, removed it from his head and then hung it onto one handle.

He gently wiped the speck of dust marring the shiny sleek exterior of his MV Augusta F4 CC motorcycle. For a thrill seeker like him it was a dream ride. It was his baby aside from his Aston Martin Vanquish he bought for a whooping two hundred twenty eight thousand dollars.

He may have an eye for really expensive top of the line wheels but his parents didn't seem to mind it at all. They left him in his own devices. After all the money he wastes for his luxury came from his own earnings. From his modeling jobs and winnings in races to be exact.

He saw the large mahogany doors, sculpted with intricate medieval designs, burst open and out came an aging Mr. Will, their trusted butler of 40 years.

"**Welcome Back Young Master," **he greeted with a warm and polite smile.

He smiled in return. **"Is my mother home?" **he asked while getting down from his seat. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and they both started to walk up the stairs.

A nod. **"Yes, she is waiting for you in your room. Madame is preparing your luggage as we speak."**

He glanced upstairs before he turned his attention back to Mr. Will. **"I'll be going upstairs. You can take your rest now Mr. Will, it's already late anyway."**

The man looked hesitant at that. **"Are you sure you won't be in need of anything else Young Master?"**

He gave him an assuring pat on the shoulder. **"Don't worry Mr. Will. I'm sure Mom and I can handle everything from here."**

"**If that is your wish, then I'll be going now." **He bowed.

He nodded.** "Good night."**

"**Good night."**

As soon as he disappeared down the end of the corridor, he then strolled over to the grand staircase leading up to the upper floor where his room was situated. With a gentle knock on his bedroom door, he gently pushed it open.

His mom was sitting by his bed, his clothing strewn all over the room. She looked up and smiled warmly at him.

A fond smile wormed it's way on his lips. In her late 40's, Rinko was an image of a perfect wife and mother. She looked so domesticated in her average house clothing which is completely different when she's socializing with the upper crust of society or fighting tooth and nail in the courts. Despite being a woman, she had gained respect from her colleagues. In a world dominated by men she wasn't someone you can take on easily. She's able to handle her own in the midst of all the powerful personas surrounding her here and there without even breaking a sweat. A perfect example of a woman of the new millennium. She had proven the power and capabilities of a woman.

"Son you're back," her tone was delighted and she tucked a neatly folded article of clothing inside his large traveling bag; zipped open on the floor.

"Good evening mom," with a customary kiss on her cheek. "You shouldn't have bothered preparing my things for me. I would have done it when I get home anyway."

She raised her brows at him, amusement dancing in her eyes. "I know you Ryoma. You tend to forget things when you do the packing yourself. Besides, is it bad for a mother to actually care for her son? You're going miles and miles away after all so I want to make sure everything's okay."

"Dad's going to be there mom. . ."

"That's what I'm worried about," she murmured inaudibly under her breath.

"What was that mom? I didn't quite understand what you said just know."

She laughed and then shook her head. "Nonono ahahahaha it was nothing. I was just talking to myself that's all."

He looked at her weirdly but remained silent nonetheless. He sat beside her and helped her fold his clothes and store them in his bag. The slightly ajar door creaked slightly and from the gap he saw his pet cat Karupin squeezing herself in. Smirking, he turned his attention back to packing while Karupin immediately jumped on his lap, circling around before settling down and curled herself in a tight ball. Gently he scratched behind her ears earning a soft purr in response, furry ears flickering furiously.

_Meow. . . . _

"Have you talked to your father already?" She asked out of the blue.

"He called me earlier, at one in god damn morning. Jeez . . ." he can't hide his annoyance and Rinko just chuckled at her sons disgruntled expression.

"Just bear with him. You know how your dad is, he's just being his giddy self."

Ryoma looked severely displeased. "I don't know what the hell is running through his thick skull, or how it even functions anyway. He just comes up with such absurd ideas that I don't even know if he's sane or what."

She smiled. "I agree, your dad can get really reckless when it comes to making decisions. But this once I think he made a great one."

"Mom you do know that I'm throwing away Harvard right?" He felt incredulous.

She did. But she didn't seem to care at all. Yeah, so maybe his mom was starting to get his dad's mentality as well. Not such a good idea. He shook of the idea. It just gave him goose bumps.

"It's good if you'd earn your degree at the very same school where your dad got his. I think that sort of thing is priceless."

"Yeah," he drawled, voice laced with sarcasm.

"Ryoma. . ." Rinko looked at him in a reprimanding way, so he just opted to rest his case. He knows when his mom starts using that tone on him. She's starting to get annoyed. And no one ever dared to anger her. Not even the almighty Echizen Nanjiroh. He inwardly sniggered at that.

His dad, though known for his scandalous affairs and love for women, is totally being whipped by his wife. And Ryoma loves rubbing it in the old mans face every chance he got. He just loves the sight of seeing his dad pissed off or thoroughly aggravated. It was a blow that surely bruises his ego. But who was he to complain. He dearly loved his wife.

And as far as Ryoma is concerned he knew his dad never actually got himself involved physically with other women besides his wife. He just pours in his pent frustrations with those perverted porn magazines he loves to subscribe.

He respected and admired him, but Ryoma was far too proud to admit it. Nanjiroh would surely tease him senseless if he ever finds out. The old man can be insufferable to deal with when he's being his usually playful self.

Ryoga, his older brother shared the same sentiments with him. Speaking of his older brother, he hadn't seen him for quite a while now. The last thing he heard he was off in the Bahamas plotting schemes of how he could outbid some stinking bald business mogul in a billion dollar construction project.

He was a graduate of Stanford University and decided to work under their fathers guidance in one of their many businesses. And since he had always been fascinated with buildings and stuff he made it his duty to protect the interests of their newly opened construction company. And Ryoga seemed to enjoy every minute of it. Though, still a rookie with only a diploma fresh from the press he surely had earned quite a reputation by pulverizing big companies down on his mercy once he assumed his position in the company. A cunning bastard ruthlessly outbidding everyone without even batting his eyelash.

They were close but because of the boys recent obsession in making their business sky rocket to the top he doesn't actually spend that much time at home anymore. He's often out of the country, trotting all over the globe waiting for an unsuspecting prey he could pounce on. In fact he couldn't even remember the last time his brother came home just to spend some quality family time with them.

"Oh by the way how's Kevin kun? Have you told him already?"

He grimaced. "Yeah. I talked to him before I went to school."

"And?"

"What'd you expect mom? He got pissed off. You know how one tracked his mind could get and right now Harvard is his priority aside from raising his spawns all over the globe." He retorted with a snort.

"It must be hard on him. It's the first time you'd be leaving him behind. It's the first time you won't be coming to the same school."

"There's a time for first's mom."

"So how about Eliza?"

He raised his brows. "Huh?"

"Eliza. You know the blonde you brought home last Monday. The tall girl who looks like a model with curly chestnut colored hair,'" she detailed but Ryomas eyes were devoid of recognition. Figures, Ryoma has already forgotten about her. Sometimes her sons no nonsense attitude bothers her. But he's already an adult. Going to college already and soon out in the world to conquer whatever it is that he set his eyes on.

She would trust her son. She knew he's responsible enough to know how to take good care of himself. Though he tends to be a total brat at times Ryoma is a good kid. Kind of sweet if he even wants to.

"Okay just forget I ever mentioned that name. I now you'd forget her anyway just like you did the others." She zipped the bag as soon as they finished laying on the last piece of clothing he had. She dragged it over the corner of the room and settled it there. "You're passport and ticket is inside the drawer.

"Yes mom."

She walked over and gave him a quick peck on the forehead. "Night son."

"Night mom."

She walked out of the room and soon he was left alone again. He leaned back on his bed, arms both stretched against the top of the mattress to support his frame. He roamed his eyes across his room and lavished in the sight of it. Tomorrow he'd start his journey to a world foreign to him.

Leave everything behind.

The advocate of fire's journey is just about to start.

* * *

_As minutes passed by, the sun's blazing light slowly turned dim, fiery sheets of orange and yellow marring the once clear blue sky. Birds flew restlessly battling against harshness of the wind violently sweeping the earth. Mighty roars of thunder echoed at a terrifying scale. While bolts of lightning edged its way on the now ominously dark sky._

_Pitter. . . . patter. . . . ._

_Droplets of water fell from the sky. . . first in a silent drizzle. . . grew heavier . . . and heavier until it was raining cats and dogs. ._

_As the scene drew on, two figures watched while sitting on a wooden bench situated beside the large window of the great room of the large estate._

_Nimble fingers touched the glass gently, tracing the path were the water drips. A fond smile graced her lips as she repositioned herself and was now standing above the chair, both palms flat against the glass._

_The warmth from the fireplace was calming but the sight of the raging storm outside brought a deep sense of anxiety within her._

_Doubt clouded her heart and was left unsure of how she must face the circumstances of the decision she made. Closing her eyes for a while, calming the barrage of emotions rioting within her, she once again stared at the vast sea of darkness outside._

_From afar she saw thunder rip its way down from the sky, zapping an unsuspecting tree and turned it to nothing but charred wood and a pile of ashes. She grimaced when a branch of another tree snapped and fell heavily down the ground when a strong gust of wind blew._

_With a sigh she went back to down and sat properly on the chair, falling silent afterwards. She fidgeted her hands uneasily, feeling her palms sweating profusely despite the chilly temperature brought about by the stubborn weather._

_From beneath her bangs she tried to sneak glances towards her companion who was close to dozing off beside her. She smiled. His peaceful expression brought a sense of security towards her._

_Sensing that someone was looking at him he cracked one eye open and boldly looked at her direction, with an expression of mirth plastered on his lips. She blushed a bright shade of red._

_"Its rude to stare you know," he teased._

_She huffed, before latching her arm against his torso. Grinning at her antics, he draped his arm over her shoulder._

_After the long silence she decided to break the ice._

_"Neh. . . . do you think we'd be. . . together forever?" Stormy blue eyes looked up at the boy sitting beside her._

_He smirked before he ruffled her hair playfully. "Of course. . . of course we will."_

_She smiled._

_The door suddenly flew open revealing a dull looking boy, who was the same age as them. Her twin brother. And he doesn't look happy at all as he looked at the two of them with narrowed eyes. Somehow it looks like their close proximity didn't appeal to him that well. His eyes grew hard and cold as he stared at them with pursed lips._

_She felt worried. His hands were digging on the door frame pretty hard and she noticed how much his jaws twitched._

_"Mom said dinner's ready. . . ." He stared at them again before gulping a bit. I almost winced when I saw something akin to jealousy flash in his eyes. But it happened so fast like it wasn't even there. He smiled but it looked forced, though her companion didn't seem to notice. "Get your butts down there before she sends her battalion of assistants to fetch you." With that, he turned around and left._

_She stared at his fading visage, feeling emptiness creep in her heart once more. "Let's go. . ." Snapping out of her daze, she saw him standing before her with his hand held out for her to take. Shaking of all the uncertainties she willfully held it tight._

_For now, she won't think of anything else. For now, she won't feel guilty. For now, she'd try to be happy, even if it meant hurting one of the most important people in her life._

* * *

_'I deserve this''I've been too selfish'_

_'I greedily stole what should've belonged to my brother'_

_'I deserve this'_

_Death fell heavily on the night air. There were screams and cries of hysteria. Police were scattered everywhere, while the medical team who had just arrived immediately dispatched and rushed to aid the casualties. . . or rather. . . casualty._

_There in the middle of the room lay a young girl barely fifteen, bathing in her own blood. Her face pale and almost lifeless. Eyes dull and hollow._

_"Do—don't die," a voice quivered._

_The bloodied girl smiled, but ended up coughing at the same time. More blood spilled from her lips to the horror of everyone around them. The grip of the hand holding hers tightened shakily._

_Forcefully she tried to muster all the strength she could to once more hold him. Trace the contours of the seemingly perfect face leaning down towards her._

_"P—please be ha. .happy. . ."_

_Another familiar face hovered above her with that tear stricken and ashen look._

_"I'm— sorry for e—verything. . ." she whispered to the new arrival._

_He shushed her placing a finger against her lips. "Don't talk, save your energy. The ambulance would be here soon. Just hang on sis."_

_She forced a smile and coughed again. She could literally feel her life draining out of her._

_"Onniichan please. . t—take care. . o—of him. . ."_

_"What are you—"_

_"Please promise me. . ."_

_He conceded. "Yes. . . I. . . I promise."_

_She smiled. "Thank You. . . ."_

_And with her last breath drawn she bade farewell to this world. Her soul was free._

_But theirs are bounded for yet another chapter of a never ending story._

* * *

_Infos:_

_1 Herrington University- a product of my imagination and borrowed from my other fic Will of the Heart._

_2 MV Augusta F4 CC- a motorcycle by Claudio Castiglioni. Of course its not mine._

_3 Aston Martin Vanquish- a very expensive sports car_

**A/N **First chapter for AoF is finally finished. Hope you like it everyone. Please do give me opinions on which of the following pairings I had stated you think would best fit the story.

Please do leave your comments and no flames, arigatou gozaimasu.

_Un-edited version __05-22-08_

_Revised version 1 05-26-08 _


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